The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-09-09

My employers had requested me by let.
ter to establish some sort of landmarks
about our claim, especially on the north
side, as they had been informed that an
other company had been organized, and
was preparing to go to work in that direc-
ton. So one morning, leaving the rest OF
the men working at the landing, | took
Holder, and we went on an exploring ex-
petition.
We carried only an axe and a small pot
of paint, besides our dinner-pails; for ii
was my intention to hew the bark from
trees along the proposed line, and paint
the wood red, thus informing all later
comefs that the land was occupied.
We went to a point directly northeast of
our mill, or camp, where we made a
"%corner," then proceeded west, marking
trees about every quarter Of a mile, as we
came to those that were suitable for this
purpose. At noon we stopped to rest and
ate our dinners.
When we had finished, | told Holder
that | would go into the valley below rs,
where a stream appeared, and get some
water. He went along with me, down the
steep dcclivity, where We were often COM
PEELED to place our hands on the ground to
keep from falling.
1t the bottom ofthe gorge we found a
beautiful stream of limpid water, spring
;nr From, ,,oIar4h Ia moII Of roll, mn
quite a large stream, and icy cold. After
we had quenched our thirst, we stood
awhile admiring the wild beauty and grand
eur of the spot. The valley, or gorge, be-
gan here, as did the stream, and on either
side were almost perpendicular walls of
rock, almost or quite a hundred feet high,
stretching for fully half a mile in almost a
straight line, when a change of direction
shut off further view. From the general
direction of the valley, however. we con-
cluded that the stream emptied near the
camp.
We had turned to ascend the preeipice.
when my foot struck something in the
leaves something that was white and
round. Pushing the leaves away with my
foot, | then saw that it was q skull,-a hu-
man skull. Then l noticed other bones
lying about, and called to Holder to come
and look at them. At that moment | also
caught sight of the shreds of an old gar
ment, which | quickly recognized as an
old cloak.
| would have sent Holder away, had |
not already called his attention to the
CHASTITY objects before me. He knew in
stantly that they were the remains of his
wife, here the skull; over there the other
bones; yonder her tattered cloak, along
with some faded rags OF calico; and in
another place her old hood, torn into
strings by the teeth Of wolves or other an
imals. 1t was an awful sight to the man,
who, but a week ago, had accused her of
DESERVING him.
He looked waveringly a moment, as if
stunned. The truth seemed forcing itself
upon him, and he was 10th to accept it.
lie walked to the rocky wall, and leaned
trembling against it. He looked at the
ground. A rusty tin pail lay at his feet,
along with a bundle-his coat-tightly
held together by a leather strap.
He stood with his side toward me, and
could sec that his face was ashen. | APP
preached him, and touching him, babe
him come away. lie turned his eyes upon
me, and their glazing, meaningless stare
told me that he did not comprehend what
| had said. | repeated it in a more au
thoritative manner, and still that vacant
look.
/ saw at once that reason had fed, thai
| was standing in close proximity to
maniac. After standing thus for perhaps
two minutes, he started down the valley,
looking back at every step as if fearful
that some one, or something, might pur
sue him.
| watched him until he had turned the
curve which shut him from my sight, and
then I began to follow. But l no sooner
came near him than he turned toward me
with a look that so unnerved me that
climbed the hill again, to the place we hat
left our baskets, and returned to camp b,
a different route.
When | reached it, a messenger was dis
patched to her brother, in an adjoining
county, who came next day, with an un
dertaker, gathered up the CHASTITY remains
and caused them to be decently inferred.
As for Holder, he wandered over tn
country, a poor, helpless imbeeile, until tn
authorities placed him in an asylum, wher
lie shortly died. The sudden conscious
ness that his heroic wife had persisted Oh
that stormy night, in her effort to reacl
him with food and clothing, unsettled hi
reason, and brought to him, too, an un
timely death.-G. Emil UP, IN Youth
Companion.
THE PENALTY OF PROFANITY.